The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) is set to modernize and enhance the accuracy and accessibility of its land administration data, thanks to a EUR 23.10 million World Bank loan approved for the Geospatial Infrastructure and Valuation Enhancement (GIVE) Project.
The GIVE project is designed to address key challenges in land administration in FBiH by focusing on three main objectives: establishing spatial data infrastructure, developing building registers, and refining real estate valuation methodologies. The expected outcome is an increase in the interoperability of key geospatial datasets and harmonization of land records. This will contribute to an improved business environment, data-driven urban planning policy, and enhanced seismic and climate-related risk assessments—all essential for building a more sustainable, resilient future for the country’s people.
Christopher Sheldon, World Bank Country Manager for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro said, “This project represents the continuation of a successful partnership between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the World Bank in addressing land management challenges. Over the years, past and ongoing World Bank-supported land registration projects have benefited almost two million citizens with over 2.5 million land parcels now accurately recorded.” However, he noted that challenges persist, particularly in property valuation, highlighting the need for continued collaboration and innovation to ensure a fair, transparent, and efficient land administration system that drives growth and prosperity.
In addition to its primary objectives, GIVE will also focus on empowering decision-makers by fostering collaboration among ministries and agencies at local, cantonal, and entity levels. This will be achieved through enhanced data accessibility and capacity-building initiatives that can help optimize public service delivery, improve disaster management, inform urban planning across FBiH.
This initiative aligns closely with the World Bank Group’s strategy for Bosnia and Herzegovina which focuses on increasing private sector growth and improving public service delivery. It also complements the country’s Economic Reform Program while supporting alignment with EU policies and regulations such as the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE) Directive.